Whether you incur an injury at sport, work or just through regular daily activities, waiting for a full recovery can be a tedious and frustrating process. But did you know that certain foods can speed up this process? Today Christina teaches us how five specific foods can target and promote healing in the body. These include;
1. Those rich in protein
An injury often means that there will be a decline in strength and muscle mass. Eating protein can help minimize this loss. As well, protein-rich foods can help reduce any inflammation that may result due to injury and can also help recover any lost muscle mass when rehabilitating the injury begins. Christina says that "this means that foods such as beans, tofu, fish, meat and poultry are a great way to reduce deterioration and rebuild strength as best as possible."
2. Those high in fiber
"Foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains are a great way to boost the recovery process as they can help balance body weight." This is necessary as body weight and unwanted body fat are likely to increase during an injured period due to immobilization. This may make recovery harder and could result in a longer recovery period.
3. Those high in vitamin C
Vitamin C is vital for the production of collagen that is used to maintain strength in the bones, muscles, tendons, and skin. This means that it is a great way to rebuild tissue and reduce any unwanted inflammation. "The foods that are best for this include citrus fruits, leafy greens, berries, tomatoes, and broccoli."
4. Those high in vitamin D
"For injuries in the bones, dairy products are the way to go," Christina tells us that studies have shown that consuming vitamin D is one of the most effective ways to ensure that healing bones recover as strongly as possible. Doing so means that injuries such as fractures and breaks are less likely to occur again as the bones will have a full recovery.
5. Those rich in zinc
Studies have shown that zinc contains enzymes that are able to speed up the body's recovery process. This means that consuming foods such as shellfish, meat, seeds, nuts, and grains are a great way to speed up healing as they can promote tissue repair and growth.
Whilst these 5 food groups are the main ones that promote a quick recovery, Christina also states that are high in magnesium, boron, vitamins K1 and K2 and those high in glucose are also effective in promoting wound and injury recovery.
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